It was initially expected in June last year before being delayed until November, due to the election, by Local Government Minister Paula Bennett and then Environment Minister Amy Adams.

In December, Smith and Associate Minister of Local Government Louise Upston said it would be delayed further, to be released this month.

Smith told Woods it was approved by Cabinet on Monday.

He said he and Upston needed extra time to consult with Canterbury mayors and Ngai Tahu due to post-election portfolio changes.

Those relationships were now "stronger than they ever have been", he said.

"We... want to give Canterbury people more of a say in the regional council but we also want to make sure it is not the dysfunctional mess that we inherited from the previous government."

In the discussion document, Smith and Upston said: "We have been encouraged by the transformation of ECanfrom a poorly performing council to a leading local government organisation."

ECan's role in Canterbury post-quake was "likely to be of increased importance as the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) winds down aspects of its role", they said.

The document said a mixed model would "ensure that ECan's governance strikes the right balance between local representation, and specialist skills and expertise for good-quality decision-making".

ECan has been run by commissioners since 2010, when the Government sacked its councillors, citing apparent mismanagement of water issues.

"The idea of [it being] 2019 before we get to a fully democratically elected council is insulting to the people of Canterbury," Woods said.

"It's even more important now that my bill gets drawn," she said.

"Canterbury will be the only region [in the country] where the Government thinks it has the right to appoint the people who govern our region rather than let the voters decide.

"Nick Smith's comment about this ensuring stability is troubling. I have great faith in the stability of elected members in this country."

Labour planned to enter a bill into the ballot requiring ECan's commissioners to "immediately call a special general election, to be held within three months of the bill becoming law".

The aim was to remedy the "appalling situation" of continuing delays, the bill said.

"Such a long period of unelected rule is unacceptable in a democracy.

"The right of the people to elect their local authority representatives is fundamental, and affirmed by article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which New Zealand is a party.

"The abrogation of democracy in Canterbury violates both democratic principles and international law," it said.

Public submissions will be sought on the Government's discussion document until May 1.